Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1166, the Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act.

As Communist China seeks to gain influence in critical industries around the world, the United States must be at the forefront of combating and decoupling from the CCP. This includes battery technology.

As we become more and more dependent on battery technology, we need to ensure that these batteries are sourced from nonadversarial countries. As it stands, Communist China produces approximately 80 percent of the world's batteries and roughly 70 percent of the world's lithium ion batteries. This dependence puts U.S. supply chains at risk and threatens our national security.

Our government should not be spending tax dollars to procure batteries from companies that profit from slave labor or provide another avenue for the CCP to expand their surveillance apparatus here in the United States. As an agency tasked with protecting the homeland, the Department of Homeland Security should not be procuring batteries from a geopolitical adversary.

H.R. 1166, the Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act, is a critical first step in addressing this issue. Modeled after previous provisions included in the FY 2024 NDAA, my legislation builds off of these efforts and prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from procuring batteries from companies that have deep ties to the CCP and engage in human rights abuses.

H.R. 1166 helps our Nation take a step forward in advancing our efforts to decouple from the PRC and safeguard critical supply chains from exploitation.

I am proud that this bill passed out of the Committee on Homeland Security in a bipartisan manner last Congress and was passed on the House floor. I look forward to seeing it pass and becoming law in the 119th Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

My fellow Democrats and I strongly support the intent of this bill, which is to confront our global adversaries and build up an industrial manufacturing base here at home in the United States. We can't give the Communist Party of China any opportunity to undermine our homeland security, and I support the goal of this legislation to prohibit DHS from buying batteries from certain Chinese companies.

Due to a Democratic amendment to this bill in the last Congress, this prohibition was expanded to include any company using Uyghur forced labor or companies identified by the Secretary of Defense as Chinese military companies and those companies engaged in activities contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests against the United States, according to the Department of Commerce.

This bill also includes Democratic language requiring DHS to produce a report on the potential impacts and costs associated with carrying out the intent of this legislation before it becomes effective. That report will help the DHS and Congress manage any unanticipated negative consequences of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Before I close, Mr. Speaker, I will note that, in the last Congress, the Senate made further improvements to this measure not reflected in this bill today. I support advancing H.R. 1166 today so that the Senate can continue to work on this measure. I also thank Mr. Gimenez for this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1166) to prohibit the Secretary of Homeland Security from procuring certain foreign-made batteries, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1166.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1166, the Decoupling from Foreign Adversarial Battery Dependence Act.

Our world continues to be incredibly reliant on battery technology. Currently, the People's Republic of China produces the vast majority of the world's batteries. Dependence on batteries that are largely manufactured in an adversarial nation presents a serious risk to national security.

H.R. 1166 will prohibit DHS from procuring battery technology from companies with known ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague from Florida, Mr. Gimenez, for his strong work to address this issue, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gimenez).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1166, and I yield back the balance of my time.